George Mason Researcher Awarded 2025 American Chemical Society Rising Star for Pioneering Nanoscience Research
Hao Jing, a chemistry and biochemistry associate professor at George Mason University, has been named a 2025 Rising Star in Nanoscience by the American Chemical Society (ACS). This national award honors outstanding early-career researchers who are making major contributions to the growing field of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
“This award is based on the impactful research work we have been doing for the past few years,” Jing said. “Since 2018, we have been studying nanoparticles with geometrically tunable optical properties and photocatalytic activities. Many of our previous works have been featured as journal covers and attracted much attention.”
Jing’s research focuses on designing and controlling materials at the nanoscale: a scale so tiny that thousands could line up across a single strand of hair. His lab’s recent work led by graduate student Au Lac Nguyen as the first author, "Precise Control over the Spatial Arrangement of Copper Selenide on Au Nanobipyramids by Site-selective Growth for Dual Plasmonic Nanoarchitectures,” will be featured on the cover of a special issue of ACS Nanoscience Au in December and introduces a new way to arrange tiny pieces of copper selenide on gold particles shaped like double-ended pyramids.
By carefully adjusting the chemicals that guide how these materials grow, the team created new hybrid nanostructures they describe as “UFO-like,” “spindle-like,” and “island-like.” These unique designs change how the materials interact with light, which could lead to exciting applications such as cleaner energy technologies, improved molecules detection in medical or environmental settings, as well as advanced optical coatings to improve window shields and phone screens.
The research also lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs. “This site-selective approach can be extended to guide the growth of other materials, such as metal-organic frameworks on metal nanoparticles,” Jing said. “It provides guidelines for designing hybrid nanoparticles with increased structural complexity. The coupling and communication between plasmonic metals and semiconductors can help us tackle more fundamental questions in nanoscience.”
Jing credits much of the lab’s success to the dedication of his students. “Undergraduate students work alongside my doctoral students on specific projects,” he said. “Many undergraduates have been co-authors on our publications. Their diligent efforts over many years have been essential to the success of various projects.”
“This award reflects the dedication of our team and highlights the innovative research happening at George Mason,” Jing added.
